Regional Assemblies: Functions

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What powers and functions which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister currently exercises will be transferred to the proposed regional assemblies.

Lord Rooker: The Government's proposals on the functions of elected regional assemblies are set out in chapter 4 of the White Paper Your Region, Your Choice (Cm 5511). Of these, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently responsible for the functions relating to planning, housing and management of the European Development Fund.
	Elected assemblies will take their functions from central government, its agencies and public bodies in the regions. In respect of these policy areas, elected assemblies will become the regional planning bodies and take responsibility for allocating housing capital investment in their regions. Responsibility for publishing the regional spatial strategy and the regional housing strategy will be transferred from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
	Regional development agencies, which are the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry, also deliver regeneration and economic development objectives for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and receive substantial funding from the office. Responsibility for the regional development agencies will also transfer to elected regional assemblies.
	As the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister stated in the White Paper (paragraph 4.5), this package of assembly functions reflects the way in which these functions are currently organised. However, the Government are keen further to decentralise responsibility for policy and delivery where this will improve regional outcomes. There are likely to be further proposals for the decentralisation of responsibilities to elected regional assemblies as time goes on.

Fire Dispute: Armed Forces Cover

Lord Burlison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Armed Forces remain deployed to provide emergency fire cover.

Lord Rooker: I am pleased to announce that the Armed Forces personnel deployed on firefighting duties have been stood down on the grounds that no further strike dates will be announced before the Fire Brigades Union recalled conference on 15 April. The FBU would then be required to give seven days' notice of any further strike.

Fire Dispute: Armed Forces Cover

Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the event of a further firefighters' strike, how many troops will be required for Operation Fresco; and whether this will interfere with any plans to deploy additional troops for the purpose of guarding Iraqi prisoners of war.

Lord Bach: The Armed Forces commitment to providing emergency fire and rescue cover during the national firemen's strike remains the same now as it has been from the outset, with some 19,000 personnel currently being committed to Operation Fresco. While there is an inevitable impact on other Armed Forces operations, this is being kept to the minimum and will not interfere with plans to guard prisoners of war.

Home Office PSA Targets

Lord Merlyn-Rees: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the Home Office will publish the technical notes for its public service agreement targets for the 2002 Spending Review period.

Lord Filkin: Technical notes for the Home Office public service agreement (PSA) targets for the 2002 Spending Review period have been published today. Copies are available in the Library and online at www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
	In common with those of other government departments, the Home Office technical notes define the terms used in the targets, their territorial scope, measurement systems which will be used and criteria for success. The purpose of the technical notes is to enable Parliament and the public to judge progress against the Home Office targets. The measurement systems will be used by the department and its partners to manage delivery of the new, challenging targets.
	The Home Office PSA targets were presented to Parliament on 15 July 2002 as part of the Command Paper 2002 Spending Review: Public Service Agreements (Cm 5571).

GM Public Debate Steering Board

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the work commissioned by the GM Public Debate Steering Board on (a) toolkit of stimulus material; (b) organisation of the regional workshops; and (c) evaluation of the outcomes were put out to tender; what the specifications for the contract were; and how many bodies bid for the tender.

Lord Whitty: The independent GM Public Debate Steering Board, which is managing the GM public debate at arm's length from government, appointed COI Communications as its agent and prime contractor. COI Communications has rosters of suppliers which have been previously selected in accordance with EU public procurement rules. A Defra official was appointed to the steering board in order to ensure proper accountability for the expenditure of public funds. Further information on the specification and tendering for different elements of the debate can be obtained from the steering board.

Beta Interferon Risk Sharing Scheme

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the commencement date for the risk sharing scheme announced in February 2002 in respect of beta interferon and multiple sclerosis; and
	How many patients in England were on waiting lists for treatment with beta interferon for multiple sclerosis when the 2002 risk sharing scheme began; and
	Whether they will publish a progress report on the implementation of the risk sharing scheme for beta interferon; and
	What guidance they have given to patient care trusts to encourage them to implement the risk sharing scheme for beta interferon.

Baroness Andrews: It was estimated that up to 9,000 patients in England and Wales may be eligible to receive a drug treatment for their multiple sclerosis under the risk sharing scheme which started on 6 May 2002. Guidance on implementation was included in Health Service Circular 2002–04 issued on 4 February 2002. Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts were further reminded of their responsibilities to implement the scheme in the Chief Executive's Bulletin dated 17 July 2002. We have set up a steering group involving a range of stakeholders to oversee implementation of the scheme but there are no plans to publish a formal progress report.

Dentistry

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman on 31 July 1998 (WA 262), what is the total amount of funds allocated to Investing in Dentistry so far; and which health authority areas have applied for funding each year from 1999–2000 to date.

Baroness Andrews: The total amount of money allocated through the Investing in Dentistry scheme was £11,122,089. The following health authority areas applied for funding in 1999. The scheme ceased in 1999. Therefore no further applications or allocations have been made since.
	Avon
	Bedfordshire
	Berkshire
	Bexley & Greenwich
	Bromley
	Bromley HA
	Buckinghamshire
	Bury & Rochdale
	Cambridge
	Cambridge & Huntingdon
	Camden & Islington
	City & East London
	Cornwall & Isles of Scilly
	Doncaster
	Durham HA
	East Surrey HA
	Ealing Hammersmith & Hounslow
	East Kent
	East Kent
	East Riding
	East Riding HA
	Gloucestershire
	Hereford
	Hereford HA
	Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster HA
	Leeds
	Leicestershire
	Lincolnshire
	North Derbyshire
	North Nottingham
	North Nottinghamshire HA
	North Staffordshire
	North East Devon
	Newcastle & North Tyneside
	North Cumbria
	North Essex
	Northumberland
	North West Lancashire
	Oxfordshire
	Portsmouth & South East Hampshire
	Redbridge & Waltham Forest
	South Derbyshire
	South Staffordshire
	Salford & Trafford
	Shropshire
	Somerset
	South Humber
	Southampton & South West Hampshire
	South West Devon
	West Surrey
	West Sussex HA
	Wakefield
	Warwickshire
	West Herts
	West Kent
	West Sussex
	Wirral

Dentistry

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which applications for funding under Investing in Dentistry have been successful this year; and how much has been allocated to each.

Baroness Andrews: The Investing in Dentistry scheme ceased in 1999–2000 and no applications were considered in 2002–03.

Demonstrations in the Vicinity of the Palace of Westminster

Lord Marlesford: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether it is possible to prevent demonstrators from using amplifiers to convey their views in the close vicinity of the Palace of Westminster when Parliament is sitting.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: It is for the Metropolitan Police to control demonstrators in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster. The police have been instructed, in accordance with the terms of the Sessional Order of 13 November 2002, to prevent any behaviour, including inappropriate use of amplifiers, that might disrupt the proceedings of Parliament.

Northern Ireland Civil Service

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 25 February (WA 22) concerning security vetting for Northern Ireland civil servants, whether all postholders on 12 December 2002 held valid security clearance.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The work of the review of arrangements for security vetting in Northern Ireland, to which I have referred in response to successive Questions on this subject by the noble Lord, includes examination of the extent and the appropriate levels and frequency of security vetting both at entry and beyond in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The information necessary to answer this Question is not held centrally and could be obtained only by a date-specific review across all of the Northern Ireland departments, at a disproportionate cost.

North/South Implementation Bodies

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the set-up costs of each of the North/South implementation bodies created as a result of the Belfast Agreement, including premises and furnishings.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Details of the set-up costs for each of the North/South implementation bodies are provided below. The costs represent expenditure in relation to the period December 1999 to 31 December 2000.
	
		
			 North/South implementation  body Set-up costs in first year of operation £ 
			 The Foyle, Carlingford and  
			 Irish Lights Commission Nil 
			 Waterways Ireland 200,000 
			 The Trade and Business  
			 Development Body 668,677 
			 The Special EU Programmes  
			 Body 199,072 
			 The North/South Language  
			 Body 423,189 
			 The Food Safety Promotion  
			 Board 123,336

North/South Ministerial Council

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the set-up costs of the central secretariat for the North/South Ministerial Council in Armagh, including premises and furnishings.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Joint Secretariat (North) set-up costs were £144,852. The costs represent expenditure in relation to the period December 1999 to 31 December 2000.

North/South Ministerial Council

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much was spent by the central secretariat for the North/South Ministerial Council on travel and entertainment in the years 2001 and 2002.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Details of expenditure by the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat (North) on travel and entertainment are provided in the table below.
	
		
			  2001 £ 2002 £ 
			 Travel and entertainment 24,413 23,015

North/South Ministerial Council

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the salary bands of the grades of those employed in the North/South Ministerial Council central secretariat; and what was the total amount of expenses during the year 2002.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Details of grades of staff and salary bands, effective from 1 April 2002, relevant to staff currently employed in the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat (North) are as set out in the table below.
	In 2002 the Joint Secretariat (North) incurred expenses totalling £30,026.62.
	
		
			 Grade Salary Bands 
			  effective 1 April 2002 
			  £ 
			 Administrative assistant 10,251–12,844 
			 Typist 10,251–12,844 
			 Administrative officer 10,723–15,383 
			 Personal secretary 11,345–15,383 
			 Executive officer 2 13,181–19,012 
			 Executive officer 1 15,512–22,832 
			 Staff officer 18,440–26,326 
			 Deputy principal 22,832–34,992 
			 Grade 3 70,725–148,625

Freight Facilities Grants

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish updated values of sensitive lorry miles to be used in the calculation of rail freight grants.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Updated values will be published later this year.

Freight Facilities Grants

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the budget available for new freight facilities grants and new track access grants in 2002–03; and what was the total value of the awards made in this period under each scheme for England.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The budgeted figures were £20 million and £20 million respectively. The total value of awards made was £27.8 million for freight facilities grants and £28.7 million for track access grants.

Freight Facilities Grants

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the budget available in England for new freight facilities grants and new track access grants in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Strategic Rail Authority's strategic plan provides a budget of £20 million for freight facilities grants and £20 million for track access grants for each of the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05.

Freight Facilities Grants

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated total expenditure on freight facilities grants and on track access grants in 2002–03 in England.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Total expenditure is estimated to be £57.9 million in 2002–03.

Freight Facilities Grants

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the anticipated expenditure on existing committed freight facilities grants and existing committed track access grants in each of the years 2003–04 and 2004–05 for England.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The committed expenditure is:
	
		
			  2003–04 2004–05 
			 Freight Facilities Grants £16.7 million £4.1 million 
			 Track Access Grants £17.9 million £2.0 million

Freight Facilities Grants

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many staff are employed in the following organisations: (a) Strategic Rail Authority; (b) Office of the Rail Regulator; (c) Health and Safety Executive (Railways); and (d) Railway Safety Ltd.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Staff numbers for the Strategic Rail Authority, the Office of the Rail Regulator and Health and Safety Executive (Railways) are contained in the relevant organisation's annual reports. Copies of such reports are routinely placed in the Library of the House. Figures for Railway Safety as a private company are not collated centrally.

Drivers: Eyesight Standards

Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make the issue of a driving licence conditional on the driver wearing prescription glasses if an eye test shows that to be necessary; and whether this requirement should be spelt out on the licence.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: An eyesight correction code is currently displayed on the driving licence where a driver declares that glasses or corrective lenses are required to meet the eyesight standards. This alerts the police to the need to check, when they stop vehicles at the roadside, that such drivers are wearing their glasses/corrective lenses. Any driver who is found not to be driving in accordance with the conditions set out on his/her licence will be liable to prosecution.